


Pride and shattered dreams

by Resurgam2



Category: AUSTEN Jane - Works, Pride and Prejudice (1995), Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: A bit of drama with a bit of happy ending, Darcy is as awesome as usual, F/M, Terrible attempts at imitating Regency era writing, pure romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resurgam2/pseuds/Resurgam2
Summary: Two universes collided, when Elizabeth left Derbyshire before she could talk to Mr. Darcy. He didn't know that her sister Lydia had run off with Wickham. He could not help.Lydia Bennet returned to her uncle's house as an unmarried woman. Now the Bennets have to make up for their past mistakes. Now Bingley and Darcy must suffer the loss of all chance of happiness.Will Mr. Darcy learn his lesson? Will their universe come together again?
Relationships: Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley
Comments: 26
Kudos: 179





	1. Netherfield Park

Mr. Darcy, as one might certainly know, was a quite determined and solid man. He would never have returned to Netherfield Park.

Mr. Bingley's lease of the estate, however, had come to a much-desired end.

It was necessary to make a thorough decision now, and thus, it was entirely impossible to postpone the trip to Hertfordshire again. If the extension of the lease could be made in London, more decisive action required the immediate appearance of Mr. Bingley at Netherfield.

In truth, all the neighbours of Netherfield Park and Longbourn, and even those who lived in Maryton did not expect to see Mr. Bingley again. As it often the case, the society immediately reached its verdict and was absolutely unanimous in its decision. Mr. Bingley was considered the sort of wealthy man, who easily fell in love with the local beauties of England, but as soon as he went to the capital, the former passion, alas, was completely forgotten by him. And the young man, who dreamt only of a quiet life in Hertfordshire, soon found himself inclined to spend all his time among the amusements of London. This was the general opinion on Mr. Bingley, not only in regard to Netherfield Park, but also in regard to the eldest of the Bennet sisters.

And so, one rainy gray morning found Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley traveling in each other's company to the estate. Here it should be clarified, that the friends were in the same carriage, for the weather was so cold, that a ride from London was out of the question.

Mr. Darcy's mind was no less overcast than it was outside. The last time he had seen Elizabeth was almost a year ago, when his hopes had been completely and irrevocably dashed. That was the last thing Mr. Darcy wanted to recall now. He was even less inclined to go to a place that might evoke such memories. Yet he accompanied Bingley of his own free will, for he knew his friend's propensity to turn like a weather-vane under a sudden gust of wind. In an entirely different direction, indeed. He did not quite trust Bingley, and, perhaps, he did quite trust himself either.

Charles was lively and cheerful all the way to the estate and seemed to be in a peculiar state of excitement at this trip, which he had so willingly agreed to. He was not naturally inclined to brood, leaving this gloomy state at the disposal of his friend. Of course, the news of Lydia Bennet running off with an officer, could not but distress him. Bingley, however, soon recovered his spirits, and not only did he not postpone his visit to Hertfordshire. No, he was determined to go there.

Despite the beauty of Netherfield Park, the estate looked a little bleak at this time of year. But there was no sign of desolation. The number of servants was very impressive (too impressive in Darcy's opinion), and Charles was such a generous tenant, that everything was cleaned, ironed and put in order in the best possible way when he arrived. It seemed as if Bingley had left the house only yesterday. There were vases of fresh flowers everywhere in the small drawing-room, and although a hearty dinner had already been served, the guests could still enjoy light refreshments and wine afterwards. What else could a tired traveller wish for? The whole party was now sitting by the hot fire.

It was too late for the visits today. Nor was it certain, that it would be necessary, if Bingley did not remain long at Netherfield. At any rate, both of his sisters, who had come with him from London, had absolutely no doubt of it. The ladies sat in the small drawing-room, rustling the silks and expensive fabrics of their elegant dresses. They were bored and not inclined to play cards, so they gave themselves up to their most constant amusement — gossip and slander.

As one might suppose, they were discussing the Bennet family and their misfortune. This news had recently been received from Bingley's solicitor (who had paid a short visit to both Netherfield and Maryton) and had not lost all of its charm yet. Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley laughed with all their might at the careless family in London and continued to talk about them all the way down to Netherfield as well.

"Who would have imagined such a thing?" Louisa Hurst asked not for the first time and clearly not for the last time, indeed. "A girl of 15 years old, without any connections and any fortune, runs off with an officer from the regiment, and they live together for several weeks in London without any intention of marrying."

"Her reputation is ruined. As well as the reputation of the whole family," Caroline Bingley seemed to enjoy every word she uttered. "Once I tried to warn Miss Eliza of what Mr. Wickham was actually like. And of course, she was not inclined to listen."

"What a loss to Hertfordshire! The Bennets are so publicly disgraced that they must no longer receive anyone," remarked Mrs. Hurst, addressing all the gentlemen in the room.

Mr. Hurst, however, was not at all interested, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley were not inclined to keep up this conversation.

"I should have expected this," added Miss Bingley. "No wonder, certainly, when you consider that all the Bennets girls were chasing the officers without even stopping."

Both sisters laughed quite maliciously. However, no one joined them. Darcy still maintained the proud silence of his nature. Bingley, however, could not stand it for long:

"I will be honoured to pay them a visit tomorrow," was his fervent reply.

"How can you do that?"

"Charles! Do not even think about it!" his sisters began to persuade him at once.

Mr. Hurst, however, made no objection:

"I remember Sir Lucas saying, that the Bennets had a very good table. We can dine at their house once or twice, I presume," he said and he was ignored as usual.

"If I regret any company in Hertfordshire, it is my dear friend Jane," said Mrs. Hurst with a sigh.

Miss Bingley did not fail to support her:

"Dear Jane! What a girl, but what a bad family connection!"

She seemed to have forgotten that her last meeting with Jane had been very unpleasant for both. As soon as it was discovered that the eldest Miss Bennet had relatives in Gracechurch Street, Caroline grew very cold towards her. When she had correctly understood the danger of her brother's new infatuation, Miss Bingley made it more than clear, that she was not disposed to maintain the acquaintance. But now they could talk of Jane as much as they liked. Miss Bingley was quite certain, that no one would now think of marrying one of the Bennet girls.

"Are we going to leave our neighbours without any support in this kind of trouble?" cried Charles at once. "Especially since Longbourn is not far from us now."

"Your sisters are right," Darcy said so suddenly. "The reputation of the Bennet family has been greatly damaged. You should think carefully before you visit them. I do not think they are receiving anybody now. Their prospects are dim in many ways, and will remain so until Miss Lydia Bennet recovers her ambiguous position and gets married. As for her sisters, with these events in mind, it is unlikely that any of them will make a good match in the future."

Miss Bingley, somewhat encouraged by Darcy's last remark, added slyly:

"I remember, Mr. Darcy, at one time you thought of Miss Eliza as being very attractive woman " she exchanged quick glances with Mrs. Hurst. "Her eyes, in your opinion, were particularly beautiful. I am certain, they do not seem so beautiful to you now."

Miss Bingley could not restrain a short laugh, but Darcy did not even trouble to reply. His face grew more and more grim at every evil joke of Mrs. Hurst or sarcastic remark of Miss Bingley. When his patience was exhausted, he briefly said, that the day was unusually long and difficult for him, and hurried out of the drawing-room.

He could breathe freely only in the corridor. Setting the candlestick on a nearby table, he gazed thoughtfully out of the window. The truth was that he had only learned about these events a couple of months ago. And it was quite by accident.

At that time Elizabeth's arrival in Derbyshire seemed to have revived his fragile hopes. He was not as confident as he had been at Rosings. He only wanted her to let him win her love. He felt that her visits to Pemberley had been quite successful. He had wanted to introduce Elizabeth to his sister for so long, and it was not without a joy that he realised, if close acquaintance was secured, two young woman would certainly become friends.

When Darcy returned a few days later to the hotel, where Elizabeth was staying, he was in high spirits. He did not know, how things were going to turn out, but he was determined to see both the Gardiners and Elizabeth as frequently as only possible. He was going to take every opportunity, indeed.

It is hardly possible for anyone to imagine his surprise and disappointment, when he learned that Elizabeth, along with her relatives, had already left Derbyshire. She left him no letter, no reason. She did not even care to have an explanation with him or write to Georgiana. What a blow! What a disappointment! Darcy felt as if the ground had been knocked out from under him, and even now he felt a dull ache in his heart. He could only learn at the hotel that Mr. Gardiner had hastily gone to London on some urgent business. Nothing more. Not a word, not even a line.

Over time, he began to see those events in a slightly different light. The only explanation was that Elizabeth understood his intentions, and his desire to try his luck again was nothing but distasteful to her. She had given him before a firm understanding of the depth of her refusal:

_You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner._

_You could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it._

_And I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed upon to marry._

The words still burned in his gut. No wonder she left so quickly. The excuse was suddenly found, and her decision was not long in coming. She made it clear, that it would be useless to prolong their acquaintance. Darcy was so distressed, that he could not think of any other explanation. He remained at Pemberley to cure his broken heart and broken hopes. He had no idea of making inquiries about Longbourn or contacting the Gardiners in London. He never heard from them again, and all relations between him and Hertfordshire were finally cut off.

Then, almost a year later, he went to Rosings to visit Lady Catherine de Bourgh and met the Collins again. Charlotte was the only thread that connected him with Elizabeth, and she did not fail to help him understand Mr. Collins's voluble exclamations and wishes for prompt misfortune on the head of Miss Lydia Bennet. Darcy finally felt the full horror of what had actually happened. Elizabeth did not leave Derbyshire because she wanted to escape him. Her sister had ran off with Mr. Wickham to London.

It was too late for any distress. There was nothing he could do to help. Miss Lydia Bennet returned to her uncle's house in London as an unmarried woman. The Bennet family was unmercifully condemned and publicly disgraced. And as it often happens in society, absolutely everyone turned against them. Elizabeth, who was so dear to his heart, was lost forever.

He made one last impossible attempt to rectify the situation and had a meeting with Wickham in Newcastle. It turned out that Wickham asked for a substantial sum of money for his marriage. He admitted that he had already held similar negotiations with Mr. Bennet. They could have never agreed on the exact amount, and so many bad words had been said, that Wickham doubted the success of the new venture. He returned to Brighton and was soon transferred to another regiment. The money, Gardiner paid him for his silence, was enough to cover some of his debts. He immediately, however, acquired the new ones. He made several friends in Newcastle, he was again accepted in society and lived large, and generally had the same relaxed appearance as before. There was no doubt, that he did not want to think about getting married. At it often happens, the mistakes made by a man were not put in any comparison with what awaited an unfortunate woman.

Darcy had no choice but to return to London, heal his wounds and suffer now not from wounded pride, but from a deep sense of guilt and remorse. For several months there was an indefinable struggle in his soul between his reason and his conscience. And what he planned to do in the future. He did not say a word to Charles, and yet Charles learnt about everything from his solicitor. And now Darcy was alone at Netherfield with his conflicting feelings altogether. The struggle in his soul did not subside, and it seemed that sleep would not come to him tonight. Despite all the fatigue from the road.

"Darcy, you must be running away from us!" exclaimed Mr. Bingley, as he left the drawing-room.

It was clear that Charles himself was inclined to retire as quickly as possible. Darcy turned to him but did not answer. He was so deep in his thought.

"Tell me honestly, do you really think we should never see the Bennets again? I understand the complexity of this situation. But Miss Lydia is in London now, and the elder Bennet girls have done nothing wrong," Charles tried to convince his friend in this manner. "We could set a good example for all neighbours."

The subject seemed to strike a chord with him. Who knows, Bingley's infatuation might not have been suppressed completely. Along these sad events his feelings for Jane only grew stronger. Darcy did not answer immediately. When he did answer, he was forced to admit:

"Miss Jane Bennet was living in London last winter."

"What was that about?" Bingley muttered. "I am not sure I entirely follow."

"Miss Bennet has been in London for several months, Bingley. And I concealed it from you."

From the look on Charles's face, it was clear that his words had finally sunk in.

"Did you keep it from me?" he cried in much surprise.

"Yes, it turns out so."

Bingley shook his head in confusion and went to the nearby window. For a moment he did not know what to say. It was obvious now that he was quite nervous.

"I could have seen her before my hopes were lost, " he said ruefully.

"I know, I have no excuses," his friend replied in a calm manner.

"Oh, no, Darcy, do not prevaricate!" Charles suddenly burst out, giving vent to his anger. "There is a reason for everything you do, and I demand to hear it!"

"I told you the last time we left Netherfield. I had a certain prejudice against both your feelings and Miss Bennet's ones in particular."

"Yes, I recall it very well. You said she was indifferent to me. But there is something else. I can feel it. And in the end, I have a right to know, since you are only telling me this now."

Darcy hesitated for a moment.

"Jane Bennet is very agreeable and well-mannered. And you are wealthy enough not to look for anything else in woman. Yet her family connections left much to be desired, even before all these sad events."

"Oh, that was it!"

"I am not trying to take responsibility from Mr. Wickham, but the Bennets had a hand in it. An eccentric and indifferent father, an intemperate mother and ill-mannered younger sisters."

"You can finish now with all your arguments and enumerations," said Bingley dryly.

Darcy attempted a different approach:

"I was not supposed to intervene. It was a mistake on my part. Bingley, I offer you my deep apologies."

"Are you ... are you admitting that you were wrong?" Charles did not immediately believe him. It was so uncommon of Darcy's nature to admit any possible shortcomings.

"Completely and unconditionally, " said his friend calmly while making a show of capitulation.

Bingley fell silent again. It was obvious, however, that he was no longer angry at his friend. Darcy's candid reaction quenched the fire of his indignation at once.

"Have you decided what you are going to do with Netherfield?" Darcy asked at last. "My opinion remains the same: there is no point in renting a house in which you practically do not live."

There was a pause. Now the hesitation was again on Bingley's side.

"I am still thinking," he said rather quietly. "I am not quite certain. This is a lot that depends on."

Darcy could not help but smile.

"Well, then, I must admit: I am going to Longbourn tomorrow. You might want to join me now."

The next morning two gentlemen were up earlier than usual, as after breakfast they immediately went to call on the Bennets. This strategic maneuver was particularly used to avoid meeting Bingley’s sisters, who spent too much time in the dressing room. There was no doubt that Louisa and Caroline would have used all the persuasion and arguments, they could think of, to delay this visit as long as possible.

Darcy had only been to Longbourn a few times, and so long ago that he had a vague recollection of the estate itself. Little seemed to have changed on closer inspection. In spite of this, there was a subtle disturbance of order, a distinct despondency in everything that Darcy's gaze had touched. From the number of servants who had gathered to meet them, it was quite obvious that guests did not frequently come to the house these days. Darcy felt a sharp pang of guilt. They were not expected, they did not inform of their arrival in advance. They were asked to wait, not without a great deal of confusion, and they both waited patiently in the hall. Until at last Mrs. Hill came back and informed them that the master of the house was not there, and that they would therefore be received by Mrs. Bennet and her daughters.

Darcy felt a growing excitement that he could not control. He intended to confine himself to a polite bow and two or three elegant phrases to begin with, leaving Bingley to speak for himself and then retire to the nearest window to take stock of the situation. In fact, he only managed to complete the first half of the plan.

They were shown into the large drawing-room, where Mrs. Bennet was waiting for them with all her daughters except for Lydia. The older Bennet sisters were sitting on the sofa next to their mother's chair, sewing hastily when the men arrived. The younger girls Kitty and Mary sat at the table. One was fiddling with her hat, the other was deep in the book in front of her. And it seemed that only the younger sisters were not confused by the arrival of the above-mentioned gentlemen.

The two friends bowed politely to the ladies, as required by the rules. But as soon as Darcy had managed to get a good look at Mrs. Bennet, the second part of his plan immediately flew from his head. He was taken aback. Mrs. Bennet was so unnaturally pale and obviously very ill. It seemed that she had become twice as thin. And she was clearly struggling to stand. Darcy and Bingley looked at each other anxiously and hastened to sit down in the chairs they were offered.

"Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, what a pleasant surprise," repeated Mrs. Bennet in a faint voice. "We did not expect it at all. Completely. It is very nice that you took the time to visit us. Rarely anyone comes to see us now."

"Mrs. Bennet, allow me to express my sincere condolences and regret for the events that have occurred to your family. I have just arrived at Netherfield, and I went to see you at once," said Charles quite solemnly.

"When did you arrive, Mr. Bingley?"

"Only last night," he was prompt to reassure her.

Mrs. Bennet was clearly flattered by how quickly they decided to visit them. Darcy remained silent, looking at the elder Miss Bennet. She was pale and visibly excited for all her self-control. Sometimes she had the courage to look at Mr. Bingley, but she immediately returned her attention to her sewing. As for her sister, he had some difficulty in meeting the direct and steady gaze of her beautiful eyes. Elizabeth was outwardly calm and seemed to be asking to what pleasure they owed this unexpected visit. But then Mrs. Bennet asked Darcy a question and he had to turn his attention back to her.

Unlike his friend, Bingley was full of courteous words and reassurances. And he spoke so much, so simply and eloquently, sometimes glancing at the eldest Miss Bennet, that she quite forgot her sewing and answered him with a polite smile, and even at times with a kindly look. Darcy was more reserved in his words and expressions, and his speech was quite concise. However, he did not fail to mention that they had only recently learned about Lydia. No more than a couple of months ago. He was speaking to Mrs. Bennet, but his words were intended primarily for her daughter. And he had no doubt that he had been heard.

Soon, however, their conversation was interrupted by an offer to have a tea. Mrs. Bennet looked tired, and they declined it hastily and were about to take their leave, when Bingley suggested to take a walk in the park.

"You have never been to Longbourn Park, have you?" he asked speaking only to Darcy.

Darcy smiled to himself at his friend's maneuver and agreed that he certainly had no such opportunity.

That was the end of it. Mrs. Bennet remained at home with Mary. Jane, Elizabeth and Kitty soon joined the gentlemen for a quick walk. The path was not wide enough, and the couples lined up quite naturally. Bingley and the elder Miss Bennet went a little ahead. Darcy walked beside Kitty and Elizabeth. And finally he had the long-awaited opportunity to start a more private conversation.

"I see that these events had effected greatly Mrs. Bennet's health," he said quite carefully. "I did not think I would ever find her like this," he stammered, trying to find the right word.

"So inanimate and uncommunicative," suggested Elizabeth with a rueful smile. "I have been hearing of my mother's health for a long time. You can trust me on that. As a rule, I did not have to worry much about it. But right now I am certainly worried. She has terrible headaches and she hardly ever sleeps at night."

"It must be from the nerves."

"Yes, indeed. Her whole life is ruined. She lived only within the society of our neighbours, and now we do not receive anyone and almost nobody visits us either."

Darcy felt his stomach clench. Fortunately, he did not have to answer. Kitty suddenly broke in and asked Elizabeth if she could stay a little behind them.

"I am deeply sorry, Miss Bennet," Darcy said quietly, when Kitty had already departed. "I really did not know what happened until the last minute. I could not understand why you left Derbyshire so suddenly."

"I hope you will convey my friendly wishes to your sister Georgiana. I ask your forgiveness for this liberty. At first I could not think of anything else. Then... then I could not bring myself to write anything. I rashly hoped that the bad news would come sooner."

Darcy closed his eyes for a moment. In a fit of pride, he had thought a hundred times of how she could justify herself in his eyes. He could not have imagined this.

"I noticed, that Mr. Bennet is absent from Longbourn."

"Yes, my father went to London about a year ago. He is still living there with my sister."

An awkward silence fell between them. Darcy understood it would be tactless to ask further. Elizabeth was not particularly inclined to talk about it. Her conversation with Darcy was already painful, but she found the strength to tell him the whole story. After the letter, which Darcy had written to her at Rosings about his past relations with Mr. Wickham, she felt that he had some right to know the truth.

At first, the Bennets thought that Lydia and Mr. Wickham had gone to Gretna Green to get married. That was what Lydia wrote to her friend. However, Colonel Forster was able to trace them back to London, and Wickham's large debts in Brighton were discovered as well. It became quite clear, that Lydia had been misled as to her companion's real intentions. Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner searched for them in London for several weeks, but they could not locate them. Out of respect for the Bennet family, Colonel Foster decided not to stir up the scandal anymore and quietly transferred Wickham to another regiment. Apparently, one of the latter's friends had some connection with him. Because as soon as he became aware of the possibility of getting out of this situation, there was an argument between him and Lydia, and she had to go back alone to the Gardiners’ house.

Mr. Bennet could learn about Wickham's location even through the sobs of his disconsolate daughter. He went straightly to him and was forced to use all his diplomacy and patience with a man whom he deeply despised in his heart. However, the negotiations ended unsuccessfully. Wickham asked for a large sum of money in return for his marriage to Lydia. Much more than ten thousand to cover all his debts, a new commission as an officer, and a subsequent life as a married man. Neither Mr. Bennet, who had only a few thousand a year, nor Mr. Gardiner had such money. Wickham left for Brighton, and Lydia's situation was still hopeless.

Mr. Bennet now regretted deeply, that he had not interfered with the education of his daughters before. After experiencing all the hardships and disappointments of the unsuccessful marriage, he shut himself up in his library at Longbourn and rarely went to society at all. How quickly the harsh reality had destroyed his comfortable world, how much damage his frivolity had done to the happiness of all his daughters. He could not even think of going home until he resolved this. He remained with his daughter at the Gardiners' house, imposed the strictest economy on the estate and began to look for a suitable match for Lydia.

"We have not told anyone yet, for fear of preempting events," Elizabeth said hesitantly. "But I can be honest with you. Lydia is engaged to be married soon."

Darcy stopped abruptly and turned to Elizabeth in mute surprise.

"Is that possible?" he gasped.

Miss Bennet was a little embarrassed.

The young man was one of Mr. Gardiner's trade partners. He belonged to the lower class than the Bennets, which allowed him a somewhat simpler and freer view of certain things. And the five thousand, that Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner could afford to give Lydia, was a fortune for him. So the young man planned to marry and expand his commercial affairs, and Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Gardiner finally explained to Lydia the severity of her situation. For she had no objection to this marriage, only wishing to forget about Wickham and be comforted at last.

"That is it," said Mr. Darcy shortly.

He remained in his thoughts until the end of the walk. And Elizabeth could not persuade him to talk anymore. She looked at him and could not help but recall:

_Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections?—to congratulate myself on the hope of relations, whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own?_

"I am so glad that Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley came to visit us," Jane said, when the two gentlemen had taken their leave.

"I would rather never see them again!" Elizabeth exclaimed quite angrily, almost biting her lip in annoyance.

She had not expected to see Mr. Darcy again; his sudden arrival at Longbourn and his words of comfort were like soothing balm to her bruised soul. However, as soon as she told him the whole story, he quickly lost interest in the conversation.

"I am sure Mr. Darcy has enough of our relatives from Cheapside. It was too much for him to be related to another merchant," Elizabeth tried to humour the situation, hiding her disappointment from her sister.

_I have no wish of denying that I did everything in my power to separate my friend from your sister, or that I rejoice in my success. Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself._

"I think you are a little demanding of him," Jane said with a smile. "Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley have been with us for long enough. In such circumstances, when no one dares to come to Longbourn."

"I cannot be as generous as you," Elizabeth said bitterly. "It is hard for me to look at you and Mr. Bingley and think that you may never be happy together."

At this point, she did not just mean her sister but also herself.

"I did not expect anything but polite civilities from this visit," Jane said this quite calmly and she seemed to be nonchalant. " Mr. Bingley had lost his interest in Hertfordshire long before."

Elizabeth wished she could say the same thing for herself. She could not help thinking of her visits to Pemberley without a sense of regret and loss.

_In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you._

However, the ladies were certainly not aware of how the gentlemen really felt.

"Did you hear that, Darcy?" Charles asked his friend as they rode away from Longbourn. "All is not lost yet, Miss Lydia Bennet is soon to be married."

"Indeed, it is not," Darcy's answer was as brief as possible.

"You do not think that this is enough to make things better for them, do you?"

"On the contrary," said his friend. "Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner did the most sensible thing. I can only imagine what it did cost them."

"Yes, all is not lost yet!" Bingley cried joyfully in the highest spirits.

Darcy gave him a wary look.

"I suppose you can chase your happiness now. And I have no doubt that I was wrong of Miss Bennet being absolutely indifferent to you.

"Do you really think so, Darcy?" Charles asked, even more excited.

In truth, Darcy was not quite confident. Neither now nor then he could fully penetrate Miss Bennet’s reserve and judge her feelings for certain. Elizabeth, however, thought differently, as he had discovered at Rosings Park. And he trusted her judgment in this matter more than he trusted his own. Darcy even admitted, that he could be inattentive or that he did not know Jane well enough. He also understood all his previous prejudice against this engagement. He wanted to believe in Miss Bennet's indifference, because it kept his friend from unwanted family connections. If, however, he had had even the ghost of that hope at Pemberley, he would have hastened to repeat his offer of marriage in spite of all other circumstances. And it seemed unfair to him to keep his friend, who was certainly in love, any longer.

"If Miss Lydia Bennet gets married," Darcy still emphasised the need for that "if" to happen, "I do not see any other reason why you should not. I hope you do not need my blessing for that."

"No, I do not," Charles said hotly. However, Darcy had already given it to him.

Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley were furious when they heard of this visit. Darcy soon left for London, so they turned all their resentment against their brother. Bingley, however, remained absolutely deaf to all their words and expressions. He visited Longbourn as frequently as only decency permitted.

Soon, however, the attention of his sisters was diverted by a new event. Lydia Bennet was finally married in London in the presence of her father and the Gardiners, and — what a horror! — Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Who would believe that?  
Darcy had been present at the merchant's wedding in Cheapside and had no intention of hiding it. This news spread through Hertfordshire faster than a bullet, and caused a general commotion at Netherfield, Longbourn and even Meryton. If Mr. Darcy himself had condescended to honour the Bennet family with a visit, it might be worth for others to reconsider their attitude. Moreover, Mr. Bingley's utmost attention had given a reason for gossip. Was it possible that he was visiting the family for the elder Miss Bennet again?

And so, gradually, the others followed Mr. Bingley to Longbourn. And even Charles's sisters were forced to pay the Bennet family a brief visit. Very reluctantly so. However, since Caroline could not persuade Charles to change his mind, it was necessary to put up with it and re-establish their cordial relations with Jane.

What Mrs. Bennet had longed for during last year, and for which she had given up all hope, was soon accomplished. In spite of all misgivings and circumstances, and the extreme disapproval of his sisters, Mr. Bingley finally proposed to Jane Bennet.


	2. London

Mr. Charles Bingley and Miss Jane Bennet were married at Netherfield Park and decided to spend their honeymoon in London.

However, at the end of the appropriate period, they remained in the capital even longer and lived there already for several months. The neighbours of Netherfield Park were shaking their heads in disapproval. Mr. Bingley, they all agreed, was well suited to his calling as a city man, who still preferred the amusements of London and who could not spend more than a couple of weeks in Hertfordshire. In truth, Bingley would have been glad to remain at the estate, but after all the excitement of the wedding he was certainly inclined to some much-desired rest and freedom.

Mrs. Bennet was gradually recovering from her illness. And, like a tree not completely broken by a storm, she threatened to be revived with the first rays of the sun and rise again above all of her neighbours. Even more magnificent than before. Her health did not yet allow her to lead an active life, but Mrs. Bennet compensated for this disappointment by almost relocating herself to Netherfield Park and managing all the wedding preparations. She wanted to appear in the company of her future son-in-law wherever and whenever possible. At last, her triumphant look seemed to say, what a successful match my eldest daughter had made! Mrs. Bennet even decided to overcome all the humiliation and disapproval that she had previously endured by arranging a quite expensive wedding. No wonder the newlyweds had hurried away from her at the first opportunity they had.

However, if Mr. Bingley had acknowledged Mr. Bennet's return from London, which put an end to all the previous life at Longbourn, he might have remained at Netherfield at once. It turned out that before Mrs. Bennet had properly resumed her former position, she was politely, but very decidedly stopped. Not only had Longbourn's income been subjected to the strictest austerity, but the daily routine itself became now completely different. Mr. Bennet paid more attention to the affairs of the estate and spent less time in his library. He took seriously the education of his younger daughters and significantly reduced their leisure time. Elizabeth, who had been left in charge after Jane's departure, did her best to help her father.

Mr. Bennet had spent all the money that was left to his daughters on Lydia's dowry, and he must have saved it back, and he must also have returned at least two thousand to Mr. Gardiner, for that was what he had paid Mr. Wickham for his silence. Besides this, there was also Jane's dowry; and though Bingley was not energetic in this matter, Mr. Bennet felt it was his duty to pay his son-in-law as soon as possible. As for Mrs. Bennet, at first she tried to wage a war against all innovations and even made quite a scene. However, her health still left much to be desired, and Mr. Bennet was so determined that she had no choice but to accept her defeat.

Life, in Elizabeth's opinion, was definitely more bearable than before. It was easier to limit their expenses than to live in a complete and absolute isolation from all society. And if Mrs. Bennet could come to her senses, she would have nothing else to wish for. Elizabeth smiled slyly when she was thinking about it. In truth, she was inclined to something else as well. She desired to be excited again by Darcy's unexpected arrival and to be reassured of his feelings for her. But Darcy was nowhere to be seen.

Soon after Jane left for London, Elizabeth received an invitation from her. Her sister was brave enough to claim that all of Lizzie's particularly unpleasant acquaintances came to see them quite rarely now. For Caroline Bingley had moved to the Hursts’ house and Mr. Darcy was not a frequent visitor in the capital. Elizabeth's first impulse was to write a letter with apologies in return. However passionately Jane tried to reassure her, Elizabeth was aware that she could not avoid Mr. Darcy if she came to London. And in her heart of hearts, she hoped that she could not. Since that momentous meeting at Longbourn, which had left only pain and disappointment in her soul, she had seen Darcy only briefly at the wedding. He did not stay for the subsequent celebrations and soon returned back to London. It even seemed to Elizabeth that he was acting deliberately to avoid her. As for herself, she was inclined to talk to him about his appearance at Lydia's wedding. She was as surprised as the others, and she was left wondering. Everything Darcy had done since their meeting at Pemberley had been confusing. Mr. Bennet, however, had nothing new to say to her:

"He came to the Gardiners the day before the wedding. He was very polite and courteous, and seemed to have an old acquaintance with your uncle," chuckled Mr. Bennet. "I am not aware of what has shaken Mr. Darcy so much, but I have not noticed any signs of his proud character. He was even kind enough to offer us his help. And trust me, Lizzie, I would never have thought of inviting him. But he showed his extreme approval of the match, got acquainted with Lydia's fiancé and seemed to expect to be invited. This, of course, was only a politeness on my part. Nothing more than an empty courtesy, but he was, indeed, present in the church and even dined with us afterwards."

"Did he say anything in particular?" Elizabeth asked carefully.

"I thought he was more agreeable and talkative than usual," Mr. Bennet shrugged his shoulders. "That is all. Why are you so interested in this, Lizzie? Do you know anything else?"

"I am as surprised as you are. I could not have expected this," Elizabeth replied shortly, but she blushed under her father's gaze.

"To be honest, what you said astonished me much more. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley paid us a visit at the height of the scandal," Mr. Bennet said thoughtfully. "When none of the neighbours dared to do such a thing. And any association with us at that moment could damage their own reputation. Yes, it was bold. Quite bold, indeed."

"Mr. Bingley must have been influenced by his feelings for Jane."

"Well, yes, if you do not consider that he has been doing well without her for the past year. But Mr. Darcy? What could have influenced Mr. Darcy?"

"Mr. Darcy, as a true friend, has done his best to make Mr. Bingley happy."

"If I were a true friend of Mr. Bingley, I would advise him not to get involved with such a troubled family and look the other way," Mr. Bennet said not without a bit of sarcasm. He did not know how close he was to the truth at that moment.

His daughter had no choice but to smile ruefully and leave his last remark unanswered. Mr. Bennet, however, was not at all satisfied with this explanation. After the Gardiners had told him about their trip to Derbyshire, he had even begun to have some suspicions of his own.

One might certainly think that Mr. Bennet should be left at Longbourn, in his favourite library during these now brief hours of pleasure. All attention should be payed again to his daughter Elizabeth, who decided not to postpone her visit to London any longer.

Mr. and Mrs. Bingley received her with all the warmth and cordiality of which they were capable. They did not skimp on being the most hospitable masters and seemed to be looking forward to the arrival of their dear Lizzie. Especially Jane, who missed her sister sincerely. It took them both several days to tell each other everything they wanted to, exchange the latest news and share new experiences. Elizabeth was genuinely happy for Jane, and Jane was positively glowing with happiness. As habits, tastes and opinions of Mr. and Mrs. Bingley were very much alike, it was not surprising that their marriage had been quite successful so far. And nothing gave Elizabeth more pleasure than to see her sister as the mistress of her own house and to look at her elegant and fashionable dresses.

During the next ten days the Bingleys’ house, situated in one of the most respectable parts of the capital, was visited by all their friends and acquaintances. Even Charles’ sisters condescended to visit them and invited Elizabeth to pay a return visit to their house. Not quite persistently, though. Darcy, however, did not appear, and this was the cause for Elizabeth’s anxiety. Only the arrival of her sister Lydia distracted Elizabeth from her gloomy thoughts. Indeed, she had not seen her younger sister for more than a year!

The sufferings that had befallen Lydia could not but leave a certain mark on her soul. She seemed less cheerful and energetic than before, considering that she had been too cheerful and energetic before. Her husband was a very reserved young man, clearly more intelligent than his wife and exerting a most beneficial influence on her because of this intelligence. Elizabeth watched them not without any interest. Despite the fact that Lydia’s husband was about the same age as Bingley, he had already achieved a great deal in his affairs and was a self-made man. His interests were mainly related to trade, but he was still quite bookish and inclined to interesting conversations. Elizabeth knew, that her sister's dowry had played a crucial role in this marriage, but she noticed that they treated each other not without a certain degree of tenderness and respect.

In truth, Lydia had fit in her husband's circle of friends and acquaintances quite perfectly. Their society was not too constrained by strict rules of decency, their balls and celebrations were much simple and artless. Of course, sometimes she missed the old solemnity and elegance. However, in the absence of any proper upbringing or education, Lydia was much happier among people of the commercial circle than of the gentry society of her family.

Elizabeth took the opportunity to have a conversation with Lydia and asked her about Mr. Darcy. But Lydia, like the Gardiners, had nothing new to tell her. She only admired the generosity of the above-mentioned gentleman, noting that he was one of the few acquaintances who was not afraid to pay his attention to her. From there, her words and thoughts flowed smoothly to her future visit to Longbourn. Lydia missed Hertfordshire quite a lot and hoped to return home for a short time this summer.

The Gardiners were certain that Elizabeth had something to do with Darcy's appearance at Lydia's wedding. They did not talk about it with their niece out of a sense of politeness and tact. However, it seemed so natural that Darcy had come to them only to hasten the restoration of the Bennet family, that anything else was out of the question. Mr. Bingley had been to Longbourn at least twice by that time and was not likely to require the assistance of his friend. Unlike Lydia Bennett and her sisters. If Elizabeth had learnt about this reason, she would have been quick to put an end to it. She had not seen Mr. Darcy for almost four months.

And then, quite unexpectedly, one fine London morning Mr. Bingley informed her and her sister that Mr. Darcy would call on them today.

"I thought Mr. Darcy was not present in London," Elizabeth could not help saying, although she wanted to appear polite and indifferent.

Bingley smiled at her.

"I assume he is healing the wounds of his pride. And I know that it takes him some time to do it."

"How is Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth asked in much surprise.

"I am sure he is in excellent condition, except that the relations between him and Lady Catherine de Bourgh are completely soured," Bingley explained cheerfully. "You see, Lady Catherine has planned for her daughter to marry Darcy. However, Darcy himself is not inclined to this marriage. Diplomacy, alas, has reached a dead end. I know that all interaction between him and Rosings has been temporarily interrupted."

"You were at Rosings, Lizzie," Jane said thoughtfully. "While staying with Charlotte Lucas."

"Have you seen Miss Anne de Bourgh?" Charles asked curiously.

"Yes, I had the honour of being introduced to Mr. Darcy's cousin during a visit to Rosings Park last year."

"What is your opinion on Miss Anne?"

Elizabeth felt a little uneasy. For all her ingenuity, it was difficult to describe Miss Anne de Bourgh as anything other than a pale and sickly creature. During Miss Bennet's stay at Rosings, Miss Anne spoke very little. Elizabeth remembered that at one time she had even wanted Darcy to marry this strange and silent woman.

"I do not think Miss Anne de Bourgh is in a very good health," Elizabeth said as politely as possible.

"Oh, yes!" Bingley remembered. "Darcy often referred to her condition in view of the impossibility of this marriage."

"Was Miss de Bourgh's health the only reason?" Elizabeth asked cautiously.

"No, of course not," said Bingley, laughing. "I am certain that if Miss de Bourgh had been both healthy and beautiful and intelligent, even if she had been completely perfect, Darcy would not have married her. To be honest, I have never seen him in love with anybody. And I doubt if there is a woman he will marry after all."

Elizabeth and Jane exchanged significant glances, but made no reply to this remark.

Darcy did arrive soon after. He was not at all surprised to see Miss Bennet at Bingley's house. He must have been well aware that she was now living in London. He was as courteous and polite as ever to her, but he was a little distant now. There was a peculiar change in him. And it seemed that he was somewhere far away in his thoughts.

Their conversation was about the most general topics. It concerned their friends and acquaintances, but nothing more. There was only one thing for which Darcy showed a certain alacrity. He asked Elizabeth about the state of Longbourn and the attitude of their neighbours. She hastened to assure him that everything was gradually returning to the way it was before. It seemed to her, that Darcy immediately became a little less tense. 

Elizabeth finally decided to seize the moment, when Jane left the drawing-room to arrange for a tea, and Mr. Bingley had gone upstairs to change his clothes. She immediately began to talk of what had long been on her mind:

"Mr. Darcy, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the attention you have payed to my family. Both at Longbourn and at my sister's wedding."

He flinched at her words.

"There is absolutely no need," Darcy said hastily. "I had to do it. You cannot imagine the acrid guilt I have been feeling all this time."

"Guilt?" Elizabeth could only just repeat this.

"There is no other person in this whole story who has more remorse, than I" he explained. "I knew, what Mr. Wickham was like. And encouraged this evil to spread even further."

"You were protecting your own sister," she said.

"Mr. Wickham has done enough to present his true face to the world without involving Georgiana. Your assumptions are wrong, Miss Bennet, and I certainly did not think it was necessary to interfere. I could get a good opinion of myself in Meryton if I only took the trouble. There was so little to do. Just to be a bit more condescending. And I think no one would have doubted my words then. And it would have saved your sister from all subsequent disasters."

"You take too much upon yourself. There are too many things which each of us should not have done. Knowing Lydia's frivolous nature, my father should not have let her go to Brighton."

"And I am certain that Mr. Bennet is quite remorseful for it now."

They looked at each other directly. And even in this moment of excitement, Elizabeth had to admit that Darcy was a very attractive man.

"I hurried to see Mr. Gardiner because I wanted to do something to help," he explained, "But to give your father credit, he has already accomplished everything. And he did it entirely by himself. I could only honour the occasion with my presence and hope that the news would reach Meryton soon."

"You have had exactly the effect you hoped for," Elizabeth replied with a smile.

Darcy just sighed.

"I must tell you, that I was in Newcastle before my arrival at Longbourn. I saw Mr. Wickham there. He was just transferred to another regiment, and I was hoping to persuade him to marry your sister one way or another. However, he once again showed all the meanness and abomination of his nature."

"Oh, that is it!" Elizabeth exclaimed, as their conversation was growing more exciting by the minute.

"You will be delighted to know that the time I spent in Newcastle was useful after all. I failed to convince Mr. Wickham, but I met with the Colonel of the regiment and gave him a full account of his lieutenant's past conduct. I am certain I managed to raise some doubts in the Colonel, since Mr. Wickham has been recently retired."

"It is not surprising at all," Elizabeth shook her head. "Do you know what he is doing now?"

"I have decided to keep a close eye on this man, and I know that he has left England for now. However, I doubt that he will end up in a better place than before."

They were suddenly interrupted, as Jane went back to the drawing-room and announced that tea was soon to be ready. Bingley himself appeared at the same time.

"Are you ready, Darcy?" he asked cheerfully.

"We can go now," his friend was suddenly quite decisive.

"Will you not stay for tea, Mr. Darcy?" Jane asked surprised.

"Please, excuse me, Mrs. Bingley," Darcy answered, bowing courteously. "But I cannot stay. Unfortunately, I have urgent matters to attend to. Miss Bennet."

Elizabeth hastily returned his polite bow. 

Bingley was fast to agree with his friend and left the room to arrange their ride. His wife went to the nearby table, absently looking through the papers and giving the others some privacy they seemed to be needed in that moment.

"I presume, we will see more of each other," Darcy lowered his voice a little. "Now that your sister is married to my friend, it is inevitable. I sincerely hope that my presence will not be as unpleasant to you as it was at Rosings. After all we have been through, I hope you can at least forget your previous opinion of me. I left my sister's card in the hall. Georgiana would be delighted to see you, if possible."

Darcy bowed again and left the room before she could reply. 

Elizabeth's nerves finally gave way, and as soon as the two gentlemen had left, she sank down on the nearest sofa.

"Lizzie, my dear, what is the matter with you?" Jane exclaimed running up to her.

Elizabeth was pale and she could not answer. Her heart was pounding like mad in her chest.

"Should I call for someone?"

She shook her head.

"No, no, Jane, do not do it," she finally managed to say. "It is all right."

"What happened? I only left you with Mr. Darcy for a few minutes."

"I am fine."

"What did he tell you?"

"Nothing. Mr. Darcy is all politeness."

"Then why are you so distressed?"

There was a genuine concern in Jane's eyes. And Elizabeth hastened to reassure her that she was well indeed. She had not told her sister about Mr. Darcy while Jane was still living in Longbourn. At that time, they had been concerned with Lydia or with Mrs. Bennet or all their other past misfortunes; then Elizabeth had not wanted to distract her sister from either her engagement or her wedding. Now, however, Elizabeth felt that it was time to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Jane.

She told her about her trip to Derbyshire and the few visits to Pemberley that had happened. She noticed how much Mr. Darcy's demeanor had changed. How respectful he was now towards all her relatives. She knew that Jane would not have observed it; she had always been generous to Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth reminded her sister how much she disliked him at first for her wounded pride. And what a contrast it all was to what had happened at Pemberley and ever since. She could not tell exactly when her opinion of Darcy had begun to change. But it had definitely changed in a way that she had not expected. Out of her sympathy and appreciation for him a new feeling gradually grew.

"Do I follow you correctly, Lizzie?" Jane asked hastily. "You seem to like Mr. Darcy now."

"Yes, I am quite certain of it."

"Mr. Darcy, whom you refused?"

"Yes," her sister said with a sigh.

"Oh, Lizzie!" cried Jane.

She thought about it for a moment. Elizabeth decided not to break the overwhelming silence.

"I am certain Mr. Darcy's feelings for you are still the same," Jane said at last.

"You have little idea of the words which I used to refuse him at Rosings. And if he found the strength to overcome his pride, it is unlikely that he will ask me a second time."

"But it could be possible."

"No, it could not," Elizabeth shook her head, dismissing the very thought of it. "Mr. Darcy has never been too honoured to become related to us. And now that our family connections have only deteriorated because of what happened to Lydia, I cannot imagine that it is possible. No, he renewed his acquaintance with me for Mr. Bingley's sake. He made that very clear."

"Still," Jane said firmly. "If he proposed to you again, would you agree?"

Elizabeth only smiled ruefully. However, this smile could certainly express more than any possible words.  
For she would have agreed to Mr. Darcy’s proposal at this very moment.


	3. Hertfordshire

Within a few days Elizabeth regained her composure. She even dared to joke about her former condition. 

She was a little ashamed of herself losing her caution in a moment of excitement and giving in to her violent feelings. Yes, she had long desired to have a heart-to-heart talk with her sister. And she told her a lot more that day and especially late at night. However, she wanted to accomplish this in her own way, that had to be done calmly and without unnecessary trouble.

Previously, this conversation would not have mattered. Until Lydia got married, Mr. Darcy was completely lost to her. She could not help but understand it. So as soon as Elizabeth arrived at Longbourn, she turned her attention to the estate and to her very ill mother. In the absence of Mr. Bennet, she had a lot to do and she did not want to be disturbed by the recollection of Pemberley. Yet, she often thought about it. Now everything was drastically changed. She had only met Mr. Darcy once or twice, but her old composure had disappeared. And Jane was quite aware of this.

"I am fine," Elizabeth assured her sister again and again."I have long since come to terms with the idea that I might not get married at all. You recall, we have already discussed this. I do not think that there is another Mr. Collins for me. So I would much rather take care of your children."

She even tried to make a joke of it, but Jane was not so easily fooled now. Her sister stood firm and urged Elizabeth to pay a visit to Georgiana and restore her acquaintance as soon as possible. Elizabeth, however, hesitated. It seemed to her that a new meeting with Mr. Darcy would bring her nothing but disappointment and heartache. That was also likely for him, perhaps. She did not know if he was capable of forgetting what had happened at Pemberley and Rosings, she definitely was not. Bound by the company of her sister and his friend, how could they even exist together now?

All the doubts, that had fed Elizabeth's soul and kept her from this visit, were resolved in a quite unexpected way. Miss Bingley called at her brother's house on her way to her dear friend Georgiana, and when she learned that Elizabeth was also planning to visit Miss Darcy, she proposed that they should go together.

Miss Bingley was so obliging and appeasable, because she expected to enjoy the meeting quite much. She might not surpass Elizabeth in Mr. Darcy's eyes, but she was certainly determined to let her know that she was on the most close terms of friendship with his sister. To do Caroline justice, she had not had a chance to be delighted lately. She was so used to running her brother's household that she could not accept the fact that she had been replaced by another mistress. She had, therefore, hastily moved to her sister’s place, and now endured all the inconvenience of being a guest in the house, which though owned by the Hursts, was far inferior in comfort and luxury to that of Bingley.

Miss Darcy received them both alone, as her brother was absent. And Elizabeth could not even tell whether she was relieved or deeply disappointed by the news. Miss Bingley was very polite and courteous today. She chatted pleasantly with Georgiana, was quite attentive to Elizabeth, and seemed to be in the best of spirits. Her present demeanor contrasted drastically with the coldness, snobbery and even a certain fastidiousness that had once came from her in Hertfordshire.

It seemed that Georgiana's manners were a little reserved, and indeed she felt more comfortable with Miss Bingley's society. This, however, was more due to her natural shyness than to her inclination for any particular company. Gradually Mr. Darcy's sister overcame all her excitement. Plucking up her courage, she graciously suggested that the two ladies should extend their visit and even have tea with her in the fresh air. Both Elizabeth and Miss Bingley readily agreed to it. They went into the garden of the Darcy’s house, where a table and chairs were already set for them. Delicate pink cups of fine china stood out against the white tablecloth. And a high fence protected the ladies from any curious glances.

The day was the warmest and sunniest, and Elizabeth could not help but admit that she was having a good time. Especially as Miss Bingley was quite an interesting associate when she was inclined to it. The three of them were having a great conversation and did not even notice how quickly time passed. The role of the hostess gave Georgiana a certain pleasure. She poured tea from a round porcelain teapot and treated her guests to excellent cakes. This was exactly how her brother found her — flushed, sweetly smiling and not as reserved and embarrassed as usually. Elizabeth did not notice Mr. Darcy at first, and when she did, a cheerful smile left her face for a moment.

"Miss Bennet, Miss Bingley," Darcy bowed courteously to the ladies and took an empty chair. "I am delighted you payed us a visit," he said to Elizabeth.

"How could I possibly ignore your invitation?" she asked slyly, somewhat recovered from his sudden appearance.

However, Georgiana was not so well in control of herself. In the presence of her brother, she blushed and turned pale by the minute. She seemed to have lost all her previous resolve.

"I am certain my sister is delighted to see you. I must say, she missed your visits to Pemberley."

Georgiana blushed to the roots of her hair at Mr. Darcy's last words.

"You must have decided to embarrass your sister completely," Elizabeth could not help but laugh. "I presume it is a joke, but still it is nice to know, and I am even willing to take it as a compliment."

"I did not expect anything else from you," Darcy said, smiling at her.

"My brother always tells the truth," Georgiana said quite seriously. "We were indeed very sorry to hear of your departure from Derbyshire. But I knew it had to be something very urgent. I could only hope that we would meet again in London."

"I am certain Mr. Darcy has already assured you that this was indeed an urgent matter," Elizabeth replied. "I asked him to forgive me for the liberty I took in parting with Pemberley so easily. And I am asking for your forgiveness as well. I must make it clear, however, that if I could have stayed in Derbyshire, I would never have left it."

Even though she was speaking to his sister, Darcy was watching her quite closely.

"By the way, Miss Bennet, how is your younger sister doing?" Caroline Bingley asked out of the sudden.

She was hurt that Darcy had not payed her any attention. Although in fact, he was always polite to her. Georgiana also treated Elizabeth with more warmth and concern than she should have. Although in fact, Caroline visited Darcy’s house several times each week. And during this brief conversation they all seemed to have forgotten about Miss Bingley.

"Thank you. Lydia is quite well," Elizabeth replied rather coldly.

It was impossible to believe now, that only half an hour ago they had been engaged in the most polite conversation, being in each other's company not without a certain pleasantness. However, as soon as Mr. Darcy arrived, one was clearly trying to torment the other. Caroline could not come up with a worse way to attract everyone's attention again. She did not seem to recall or notice how Darcy had reacted to her sarcastic comments during Miss Bennet's visit to Pemberley. No, Caroline definitely was not inclined to recall anything. Her pride was hurt. Yet her upbringing at one the best boarding houses in England had had a certain effect on her. She refrained from asking a direct and entirely tactless question in front of Georgiana and only exclaimed at length:

"Who knew Mr. Wickham would be such a scoundrel!"

Little did Caroline know that this was enough for her dear friend.

"And you valued his company quite a lot at Meryton, Miss Bennet."

The cup and saucer fell from Georgiana's trembling hands and clattered to the garden tiles, shattering into multiple pieces. Darcy was on his feet in an instant. The others hastily followed his lead.

"I will call for someone," Caroline Bingley said coolly, somewhat surprised at the situation.

"That will not be necessary," Elizabeth told her. She knelt down and quickly picked up the fragments of the cup and saucer, and placed them in a small pile on the table.

"There are servants for that, Miss Bennet," Caroline looked her up and down.

But Elizabeth had already turned her full attention to Georgiana.

"How are you? Can I get you some water? she asked anxiously.

"Thank you, Miss Bennet, I must have been overheated in the sun," Miss Darcy replied faintly. She was whiter than snow.

"Come, I insist on accompanying you."

Elizabeth firmly took Georgiana's arm and led her toward the house. Darcy was tempted to follow them, but one cautious glance from Miss Bennet was enough to make him realise that he might not be needed now.

Georgiana's companion was waiting for them in the drawing-room. And as soon as she saw that her dear friend was not well, she immediately rushed to help her.

"Miss Darcy, are you all right?" she cried. "Should I bring some smelling salts?"

"No, thank you," Georgiana said politely. "I feel quite able to walk on my own." She turned to Elizabeth. "Miss Bennet, I am sorry for this sudden outburst. I guess I was getting too hot. You must go back to the others. Mrs. Annesley will take me upstairs."

"Are you certain? I do not want to leave you at a time like this," Elizabeth asked not without a doubt in her voice.

"I am quite certain," Georgiana said firmly, and suddenly she looked so much like her brother. "Maybe if you are still here, I will even manage to join you later."

Elizabeth had no choice but to entrust the care of Miss Darcy to her companion. When she returned to the garden, Miss Bingley continued to drink her tea, but she looked rather glum. Darcy was still standing, with his head slightly turned away from her. He was looking with intense interest at the nonexistent dot on the fence. Elizabeth saw at once that Miss Bingley had been trying to have a conversation, but Mr. Darcy had not been inclined to it.

Darcy's face cleared as soon as he saw Elizabeth, and he hurried to meet her.

"How is she?" he asked, quite concerned.

It was somewhat touching for her to see him as a tender and caring brother.

"It is all fine. Miss Darcy has decided to lie down for a while," Elizabeth hastened to reassure him." When she is rested, she will feel better."

"I presume it is my turn now to thank you," he said with a sigh.

"Certainly not, Mr. Darcy. I am more sorry than you are. My family, and everything connected with it, always gives you nothing but trouble."

Before he could reply, Miss Bingley appeared at his side.

"How is my dear Georgiana?" she demanded.

"Miss Darcy is fine, she is resting now," Elizabeth told her curtly. She was still angry at her for the latest outburst. "Mr. Darcy, if you will excuse me, I would like to retire."

"What, are you leaving already?" Caroline asked her. However, without much sadness in her voice.

"Yes, Mrs. Annesley is taking care of Miss Darcy at the moment, so there is no special need for my presence."

"Are you certain?" Mr. Darcy asked, looking over her shoulder.

"I am quite certain," she said simply, avoiding his gaze.

"Well, I will arrange for the ride then. Please let me insist on that."

Miss Bingley decided to stay with her dear Georgiana. Elizabeth did not mind at all. She desired to get home as soon as possible. But the expression on Mr. Darcy's face clearly showed that he would not have been averse to Miss Bingley's departure as well. He offered to walk Elizabeth to the carriage, and Caroline went up to Georgiana's rooms.

"You may still be certain of my heartfelt thanks," said Mr. Darcy, as soon as they were alone. "I have no doubt that once my sister is recovered, she will hasten back to visit you."

Elizabeth leaned on his arm to get into the carriage. 

"I hope your sister gets well soon."

"Miss Bennet."

She turned back. He looked at her in silence, as if he was gathering his thoughts.

"I have learned enough of your character to know when you are joking and when you are half-serious. I would like to assure you that your family, and everything connected with it, does not bring me any displeasure. Miss Bennet," he bowed politely.

"Mr. Darcy," was all she had time to say, for the carriage suddenly started.

Still, Elizabeth caught his last glance at her. How much this glance expressed! And how many different, at times, conflicting feelings she caught. Elizabeth leaned back, completely flustered. Her chest burned and her head ached. And every nerve in her body was incredibly tense right now. 

Something had to be done about it. It took all the way to Bingley's house to collect her strength again.

Elizabeth decided not to make her condition visible to Mr. and Mrs. Bingley. For the rest of the day, she was quite cheerful and energetic, and she described her visit to Georgiana so lively and in such vivid colors, but she did not mention what had happened there. Sometimes it seemed to Elizabeth that it was not herself who was sitting in the drawing-room, smiling sweetly at Mr. Bingley and joking with her dear Jane. No, it had to be some other careless woman. She looked at herself from the outside while her real feelings remained completely different.

The evening brought her a welcome relief and freedom, for very soon she would be finally alone. Alone with all her chaotic thoughts and feelings. And she was so glad to say good-night to her sister and Mr. Bingley and to be able to return to her rooms at last. But Jane stopped her at the top of the stairs.

"Is everything all right, Lizzie?" she asked anxiously. As she had often done lately.

Jane was not in the least deceived by her sister's outward cheerfulness.

"Yes, I just need time to think."

Jane only sighed in return.

"I am quite worried, dear. You are sometimes so sad and sometimes unbelievably cheerful."

"I have no doubt that in time this will pass and my mood will finally level."

Elizabeth's face showed absolutely nothing in the flickering candlelight.

"Charles is worried, too," Jane said carefully. "Mr. Darcy has not been himself lately."

Elizabeth only smiled at her.

"I am certain Mr. Darcy has nothing to worry about. As for me, it will pass. You can trust me on that."

Jane did not torment her any longer, but bade her sister good night and went back to the drawing-room.

"It will level," Elizabeth whispered as she went upstairs.

She had no doubt that in time her meetings with Mr. Darcy would become much less exciting.

Georgiana, indeed, soon paid Elizabeth a return visit. She came only in the company of Mrs. Annesley, without her brother and without Miss Bingley, and the time passed, therefore, not without a certain pleasantness for the ladies. Jane was also present, and Elizabeth could not help but observe that, owing to the similarity of characters of her sister and Miss Darcy, this promised to be the beginning of a great friendship. In the absence of her brother or the other ladies, Georgiana felt much more relaxed. The only thing that upset her a little was her impending departure for Pemberley.

"I usually spend most of the summer in Derbyshire," she explained to Elizabeth. "I am already late, and I should have left earlier. I confess that I am sad to leave London this year and say goodbye to you."

"We will miss you sincerely," Elizabeth assured her with a rueful smile.

"I will be a little less sad, though. My brother decided to accompany me to Pemberley."

Elizabeth's smile faded like a haze in the wind.

"Is Mr. Darcy leaving, too?"

"Yes, he is inclined to spend some time at the estate."

"That is it!" Elizabeth cried.

However, she noticed her sister's attentive gaze and tried to change the subject at once.

When the time came, Elizabeth bid her farewell to Georgiana. She was not aware when she would see her again, and she hoped they would meet at least this year. As soon as Georgiana was gone, she hurried up to her rooms to recover a little. Unbidden tears stung her eyes. And she scolded herself for such a weakness. What else could she expect? The doubts, that had crept into her mind since her last visit, now seemed completely unfounded. She knew that Mr. Darcy would certainly not leave without seeing her. And she was determined to prepare herself for this visit.

What consumed all her thoughts happened a few days later. She was sitting in the garden of Bingley's house with a book in her hand. And although reading had always occupied her before, now the meaning of the words completely eluded from her mind. She heard footsteps and looked up to see Mr. Darcy. He greeted her with his usual courtesy and bowed politely. She rose from the bench and returned his bow.

"Mrs. Bingley told me you were here," said Darcy. "And I thought I should pay my respects."

"I am delighted to see you again, " she replied without going beyond the bounds of politeness.

Darcy looked at her a little hesitantly.

"I must tell you, Miss Bennet, that I have come to say goodbye. I am leaving London soon, and it is likely that I will not have the opportunity to see you again."

"Yes, I know. Your sister warned me that you were going to Pemberley."

Darcy nodded. They both fell silent.

"May I inquire," Elizabeth asked him carefully. "How is everything at Pemberley?"

"Yes, of course. The estate is in excellent condition, " Darcy replied.

"So your trip was not planned, was it?"

"No… my decision was quite spontaneous," Darcy said, somewhat embarrassed. As far as a man like him could be embarrassed at all.

There was another awkward pause between them.

"Well, I am not inclined to keep you any longer," Elizabeth said with a sigh. "I do not think I will see you again until my next visit to my sister or when you visit Hertfordshire yourself. And while you are still here, I want to assure you that this time in London has not passed without some pleasure for me. That is also due to your visits, Mr. Darcy. I know I can only speak for myself, but I definitely hope that we can become friends in the future."

She held out her hand to him, meaning to make peace at last. However, Darcy looked at her strangely and seemed to hesitate before returning her handshake.

"I cannot be your friend, Miss Bennet. You know, it is not in my nature to lie, and that is why I am telling you this directly."

He stood with his head down. His shoulders slumped so suddenly. Elizabeth was concerned that she had offended him in some way.

"I know it is hard to forget about Rosings," she said in a faint voice.

"If it was only this!" he shook his head and smiled ruefully. "You taught me a good lesson then, and I hope I have learned it already. The truth is," there was now a certain desperation in his voice," that I still love you and admire you greatly. Even more than before. And as before, I cannot do anything about it."

She looked at him with wide eyes. He did not seem like that self-confident and proud man who had sought for her reciprocity and had no doubt about her reaction. He was still standing in front of her with his head down. Without expecting any approval.

"Perhaps, I can think and feel differently in the future. I can only hope so. However, now I definitely have the need to put time and considerable distance between us. I understand that you probably do not like to hear this from me. I promised not to tell you how I feel anymore. And believe me, I am not trying to be insistent, and I did not mean to remind you of my feelings. You have that effect on me, Miss Bennet. I always say more in your presence than I should."

He paused, in a state of extreme agitation. She made no reply, and he, somewhat encouraged by her silence, decided that it was too late to retreat.

"Your opinion of me at Rosings was absolutely true. And it was a sense of pride that prevented me from following you when you left Derbyshire. It still torments me that I could have helped you much earlier. And as much as you thank me on behalf of your entire family, I will admit that everything I did was directly related to you. As soon as I learned the truth, I hastened to correct my past mistakes, and this included my trip to Newcastle, and to Hertfordshire, and even more so my presence at your sister's wedding. I did the little that still depended on me. I confess that my return to Netherfield was not without some struggle. I did not expect anything in return, I just wanted to support you as much as I still could."

Darcy paused for a moment in order to catch his breath. Elizabeth still looked at him intently, her heart pounding so quickly and her mind racing over each new phrase he said.

"At Netherfield, I wanted to correct another mistake. I confessed to Bingley that I had purposely made him unaware of your sister's presence in London. And when I learned from you, that all was not lost, I must admit that I was greatly astonished. I took the liberty of encouraging my friend to be resolute, for I guessed that he had no one else to refer for any support. I confess that I did not think only of Bingley's happiness. This opportunity also revived my own hopes. And I ran away from you like from a fire," he said that not without some irony in his voice. "I thought that time and distance would allow me to teach myself self-control, and that my feelings for you, unsupported by anything, would gradually fade. However, it took me only one meeting with you to understand the disembodied nature of my attempts to forget you. As soon as you merely paid attention to me, I told you something I had no intention of telling you. I told you about my trip to Newcastle. I was instantly consumed by the desire for your approval, and I did everything to gain it. You see, Miss Bennet, it is dangerous for me to remain in London. When I see you with my sister, I cannot help thinking that your friendship with her may become even stronger. Maybe, if I am honest with you. If I leave now, I can later accomplish your request and become your friend. Believe me, this is the only thing I wish for."

Darcy found the strength to look at her directly throughout his speech and even now, while he patiently put his fate into her hands. Elizabeth, both startled and delighted, completely unprepared for this sudden confession, but now wishing for nothing else, still carefully considered what she should say next.

"Mr. Darcy, I do not think there is any need for you to go to Pemberley, " she replied, her voice trembling from excitement. "I think, you should stay in London."

Darcy remained silent. He did not know yet how he should react to her words. Again, she thought how different his manner was from what she had seen at Rosings. Elizabeth hastened to reassure him as much as she could.

"You tell me that your feelings and your thoughts have not changed. Mine, I must admit, have undergone significant alterations. I think in a completely different way now."

He looked at her in disbelief. He was afraid to misunderstand her.

"Could I expect you to approve of my words?" he asked cautiously.

"You know, if it was otherwise, I would certainly tell you directly."

"There is no doubt about that," he remarked, not daring, however, to go any further on the subject.

Elizabeth realised that his hesitation was due to the fact that he had expected her to respond to his words with the same cold politeness she had shown him at Rosings. He did not think to be encouraged at all. His confession was so spontaneous and ill-considered that it made her appreciate him even more. Now however, he was rapidly recovering from his former unspeakable despair and after a while he added cautiously:

"You are too generous to play with my feelings. One word from you will silence me on this subject forever. It is also in your power to give me a feeble hope that one day I may win your affections. I am not asking for anything more, Miss Bennet."

She could not help but smile. He did not seem like the old Mr. Darcy at all.

"I will be too bold as I must assure you that you can certainly expect from me more than just a feeble hope in return."

She turned away from him, somewhat embarrassed, as soon as she saw the gleam of delight in his eyes. And what a quiet joy lit up his face!

Yes, it was definitely in her power to make him feel an extreme despair or to elevate him to the height of absolute bliss.

Elizabeth glanced back at the house. Quite uneasily, though. Jane was tactful enough and she did not appear in the garden, but her sister felt that they were left alone for too long.

"We must go back," Elizabeth said.

"Just one more moment!" Darcy exclaimed fervently. He hurried over to her and took her hands in his.

Mr. Darcy was always true to himself and to the decision he had once made. As soon as there was a ghost of hope, even a sign of it, he immediately proposed to her again.

Who could doubt Elizabeth's answer?

Certainly not her sister, who greeted the news with a great joy. And not Mr. Bingley, who, of course, was a little astonished, but still did not recall that not long ago he had been quite certain that his friend would never marry. Georgiana was over the moon when she heard the news. Mr. Bennet, whose suspicions of Mr. Darcy's selflessness were at last confirmed, was not particularly astonished and only laughed at his wife's intense reaction. With what delighted pride she afterwards visited Mrs. Bingley, and talked of Mrs. Darcy, may be guessed. However, not all the friends and relatives of Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy shared the same sort of enthusiasm and joy.

"Engaged!" Miss Bingley cried and threw her brother's letter from herself as if it was a venomous snake. "I cannot believe it! They are engaged!"

"Who is engaged, dear?" Mrs. Hurst asked picking up the letter from the sofa.

"Miss Eliza Bennet and Mr. Darcy are engaged," her sister said in a grave voice. "The blessing for this marriage has already been received from Longbourn. Charles writes me that they are all moving to Netherfield as Mr. Darcy wants to discuss the details with Mr. Bennet in person." 

"Oh, my God, Caroline!" Mrs. Hurst covered her mouth in mute horror.

Her sister sank into the nearest chair.

"She finally got her way," Caroline said bitterly.

"She had been around him every time she had the opportunity," Louisa replied not without certain indignation. "And flirted all the time and tried everything she could to attract him. I doubt a real lady would allow herself to behave like that."

Now she was completely oblivious to her own sister's behaviour.

"In addition to one Miss Bennet, we will now have to put up with another," Caroline closed her eyes due to a sudden headache. "What a dreadful family! All they can think about is how to find a good catch. I am certainly relieved that we do not have more brothers."

Louisa did everything in her power to support her utterly distressed sister. And they sat there for a long time, exchanging sarcastic comments about all the Bennets at once and regretting that the two gentlemen had fallen so easily into that trap.

Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy had returned to Netherfield Park at last. And Charles could not help rubbing his hands together in some kind of anticipation.

"This is the worst time for you, Darcy," he said quite cheerfully. "You do not understand that yet. You are too happy now. However, you will only breathe freely after the wedding. So take my advice and set the date as soon as possible."

"I am certain, Bingley, that I will manage it somehow," his friend remarked, however, he was indeed in his high spirits and did not dare to conceal it.

They arrived at Netherfield in the morning, accompanied by Jane, Elizabeth and Georgiana. The latter had persuaded her brother to take her to Hertfordshire with him, and now she was only upset that he had allowed her to stay for just two weeks. 

Elizabeth, smiled to herself, thinking that Georgiana had not yet met all her numerous relatives. She had stayed with Jane at Netherfield, while the carriage was being prepared to take her to Longbourn.

The weather on this day was so warm that Elizabeth could not resist but go out of the house and take a breath of clean fresh air. The beautiful emerald meadows of the English countryside spread out before her, illuminated by the bright sun, and for the first time she thought of how much she had missed Hertfordshire.

"You must have decided not to wait for the carriage and walk by foot," Darcy told her slyly as he came closer.

"Well, you know I can manage a few miles," she said laughing.

"And I have no doubt of that, my dear Elizabeth," the ability to call her by her first name now gave him a secret pleasure. "I am not inclined to let you go to Longbourn, though."

"How could you?" she asked with feigning indignation. "You are aware that we should not live in the same house. All the more reason to save you from my mother's first reaction and my father's sarcastic jokes. For your sake, I am definitely willing to take the hit."

"Or even walk!"

"Or even get mud on my dress again!"

They were both laughing so sincerely. And Darcy was so happy now that he could not resist the temptation and finally kissed her…

It only remains to add to this story, that the wedding was arranged as quickly as decency permitted. Soon Mr. And Mrs. Darcy were finally reunited at Pemberley to spend the rest of life together in all the joy and harmony which were only possible. It only remains to end this story with quite canonical phrase: if truth was universally acknowledged, two single men in possession of a good fortune, found themselves exactly the kind of wives who fully corresponded to their idea of happiness.


End file.
